Loving Sarah
by The Poisoned Quill
Summary: What if she never returns to the Labyrinth. What if she falls in love with someone else. How far will Jareth go to convince her that she belongs with him. And what does he know about her betrothed that she doesn't. Could this be the end for Sarah?
1. Chapter 1

Sarah laughed at her reflection, at the perfect life she had found. Twenty-five and stunningly beautiful, Sarah knew she had changed completely. Grown up, responsible, down to earth, none of those could be applied ten years ago. But what did that say about her, she liked to think of it as progress.

She thought no more of fairytales, of the friends she left behind in the Underground. They had no importance in her life anymore, they just simply didn't fit. She didn't even think she'd remember it so clearly, exept that she'd felt duty bound to keep the book, and all of the statues or stuffed animals that reminded her of them. She wondered from time to time, what would they think of her now? Would they be happy that she'd finally found belonging, or would they feel deserted, betrayed?

Her smile faded. She hadn't had a choice but to change. Karen had insisted, the day that she turned sixteen, that she was to go to a proper boarding school in france. And it had worked, she'd grown into a fine, mature, young woman over her three years there.

After all, today she stood in her wedding dress, knowing she was in love. Karen reached up to touch the bare part of her arm. The white gloves that went past the elbows had always been kind of a dream they shared, like the way the skirt flowed, and they both knew it. That only made it more perfect. "You look beautiful, Sarah." She smiled friendly. It was scary, but yes, they'd even begun to bond.

"You think?" Sarah's eyes flicked back to the mirror.

"Gregory's going to be stunned when you walk down that aisle." She agreed animatedly. Once you got to know her, she was a totally different person, cheerful and full of dreams that she knew would get her nowhere. A lesson she was all to pleased to be able to share with Sarah. His name rung in Sarah's ears, making her heart both flutter and sink.

Gregory, the first friend she'd had at her boarding school, was a hopeless romantic. He, too, was from America and there for the one with whom she had most in common. It had been a huge suprise to see him on her doorstep five years after graduation. And it was an even bigger shock when that easy friendship developed into something deeper.

But still it troubled her, the way she couldn't help but think that something didn't fit. She had no right to be suspicious of him, but two years later and it still bothered her slightly. Only now she ignored those instincts that buzzed nonstop. But it didn't help that no matter how she tried to forget, it wasn't short and curly black hair or olive green eyes she saw when she closed her eyes to sleep. No, her thoughts and dreams were full of long, wild blonde hair and magic eyes. It was a face that she'd always remember, a face that haunted her.

"What's wrong, dear?" The seamstress brought her out of her thoughts. She didn't need to be thinking of him a month before her wedding day. It was improper and unpleasant.

"Nothing." She smiled slightly, jumped into a conversation with Karen about Toby's day at school. Now eight, he was beginning to look so much like her father, it was actually kind of creepy.

They were walking out of the dress shop and on thier way to lunch when Karen brought up Gregory again. " So when do you plan to see him again?"

She thought back to the conversation she had with him on the phone the night before. " He'll be back with his parents tomorrow, we'll probably have dinner in or something."

Karen tried to smile and look pleased. " Really? That's so nice."

"Yes, it is." Sarah looked at her reflection in the storefront windows. Had she really changed enough that she could be content with that? With never going out or doing something romantic, because it wasn't necissary any more. Not even Karen was that amiable, and Sarah would know, as she always babysat Toby if she was home when they went out. But then again, it didn't really matter, because she loved Gregory and was happy with him.

The day went by fast and it was already time to meet Gregory at the airport. Casually leaning back in the uncomfortable plastic chairs, she stared out the large window in front of her. It was still, the planes that haven't taken off and the empty landing strip. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she saw his plane land.

It was another twenty minutes before she could find him in the crowds, bags already in tow. Her heart did flips as he approached her with his warm and loving smile, his parents in tow. Quickly kissing her hello, he hurried to introduce them, Margret and Sam.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." She shook the old man's hand with a grin. She'd always assumed he got his looks from his father, but his mouth and nose, those were definately on his mother's side of the scale. She went to shake her hand but the woman just stood there, measuring her every movement.

Unsure of what was expected of her, she let her hand fall. Gregory wrapped an arm around her, laughing at his mother's reaction. "So what do you think?"

"Too skinny," She decided, "Too pale." Sarah flushed with embarassment, Sam just chuckled.

"You always think that." He picked up the suitcase that he'd set down by his feet. "Which way to your car?"

"That way." She pointed out to the right. "Why don't you let me help you with that?"

He just shook his head. "Pretty things like yourself shouldn't be carrying heavy luggage."

"And just why not?" Margret pursed her lips.

"Will you move, woman?" He nudged her teasingly with the suitcase.

Gregory was just staring out the window when she turned to him. "What is it?" She looked with him and stifled a gasp.

It sat on the window sill, was looking right at her. The snowy white feathers with scattered brown spots, she knew that owl anywhere. He'd come above ground, was less than thirty feet away from her and she could do nothing. "Go away." She whispered without realizing it. "Go away, please. I don't want you here."

"Sarah." Gregory had by far lost interest in the owl, "Did you say something?"

"No," She just shook her head and let him lead her away. The owl watched as she disappeared into the sea of people, then flew.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors note: I made a small calculation mistake that I would like to adress. Toby would be eleven, and not eight like I wrote in chapter one. I hope you enjoy this next chapter, and if you don't, theres absolutely nothing I or anyone else, can do about it.**

**Enjoy :)**

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She forked up another bite of chicken in the uncomfortable silence. They were all crowded around Gregory's small table. He seemed perfectly comfortable with this, keeping his eyes on his dinner. Nobody bothered to speak, just stared at the food in front of them.

This was nothing like what she was used to, now with an eleven year old running around. Her family's table was active and roaring with laughter. This table was a stony silence, and it made her want to scream. She had to wonder if this was what Gregory would expect dinner to be like this once they were married. Would she be forced to be sit in silence for the rest of her life, afraid to speak.

"If you'll exuse me." She tried to be polite, but they could all hear the disturbed edge in her voice. She needed out and she needed out now. "I think I need a bit of fresh air."

"Of course." Sam was the only one to look up. He smiled at her as if he knew exactly how she felt. "Would you care for some company?"

She gave him a sympathetic look, one it seemed the others probably wouldn't even notice. Gregory was obviously more like his mother than like same, and this was obviously a normal endevor. But she needed this time alone, to process the event at the airport at least. And to shake off this feeling of dread she'd been carrying around all day. "No, but thank you, Sam."

"Oh, well, maybe some other time then." He smiled hopefully.

"Maybe." She just nodded, stunned how much she already liked this man, and walked out.

Margret waited until she heard the door shut to look up. "Odd one, isn't she?"

"Mother." Gregory poked at his peas like a dejected child.

"I've got a right to say what I want." She glared at him from across the table. "Your not actually going to marry this one, are you?"

"I think he should, she's completely charming." Sam leaned back in his chair, glad to see his family talking.

"The date's set, Mother." Gregory set his fork down as they watched each other, calculating. "And unless something happens to her, I intend to keep it that way."

"That's what you said about the other two, Bethany and Rachael. You do remember them, I hope." She reminded him bitterly.

"Of course, Mother. But if you remember, they both ended up dead." He mirrored his father's position.

"Tragic." She tisked, standing up to clear the table. " Two beautiful and seemingly happy girls, killing themselves on the eve before thier wedding."

"Yes." He murmered to himself as he glanced out the window. "Tragic."

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Sarah leaned against the railing, looked up at the stars. It soared across the sky as an attempt to grab her attention. She shut her eyes, took a breath so that she wouldn't hyperventalate. Behind her there was a flutter of wings and a thump, then silence. "I don't have what it takes to fight you right now." She just opened her eyes and continued to stare out at the world.

"That's good." His voice was friendly, unalarmed. "Because I haven't come for a fight."

Now she turned, but continued to rest against the railing. He looked just as beautiful as ever, if not more so. His lean tall body seemed to tower over hers, even as they stood feet apart. And she knew that what she was feeling was in no way innocent. But she couldn't let him realize what he'd done to her heart the moment he spoke, the way it flew. "Then what _do_ you want?"

This was his first chance to really get a good look at her. He kept his shock hidden under that facade he always seemed to wear. She was thin, thinner than she should be, and pale to the point that she looked sick. And then there were the bags under her eyes, from tossing and turning all night. Yet she managed to look so perfect, so familiar and yet, enchantingly different.

To answer her question, he stepped closer to her, touched her face. She boldly stood her ground, that sheer stubborness he'd come to long for. "You haven't been sleeping."

She knew it was pointless to lie about the obvious, he'd know and she'd feel like an idiot. "No, I've had a lot on my mind."

"Now, what could have such a beautiful girl so worried?" He smiled charmingly. But she ripped herself away from him before she could think, her gaze being drawn back inside. " Don't tell me it's him."

"No." She shook her head. "He's perfect, almost." Her eyes were on his now, caught the flicker of disappointment and hurt. "You didn't know." She almost laughed. "I was so sure you would have looked in, that you would have known."

He just stared at her, defiance in his eyes. "I didn't think I needed to." He thought for a second. "Are you in love him?"

"We're getting married in a month." She was satisfied with that answer, turned to head back inside before someone got worried.

He just smirked. "You didn't answer my question."

"Well, " She looked at him over her shoulder, "You didn't answer mine. Why did you come?"She saw into him, no matter how he tried to hide it, the emotion was always in his eyes. And she saw rejection. "I'm sorry, Jareth." Her own heart sank like lead. "I love Gregory."

He tried to smile again, but that shook him, how was he supposed to fight against love. "You love him, but your not _in _love with him."

"What the hell's the difference?" She shook her head as she shut the door behind her. Into her life, where he wasn't allowed. But he would make sure that changed. He'd spent the last several years of his life thinking about her and not being able to do anything about it. He'd show her the difference between loving someone and being in love with someone. Damn if he was going to let her go again.


	3. Chapter 3

_One week later_

Gregory'd been distant this last week. Ever since her encounter with Jareth, it was like she was seeing him in a new light. Had he always been this way?"He stopped walking to look at her, accusations in his eyes. Are you even listening to me?"

She sighed, knowing she still couldn't bring herself to lie to him. It was a choice, not a weakness, and she knew it. He didn't, he'd always taken that for granted, so the couple of times she'd lied to him went unnoticed. "No, Gregory, I'm really not. I was thinking about something else, I'm sorry."

"Your sorry?" Gregory laughed once. There was a glint in his eyes, once that made her wince inwardly, he was dangerous. He was angry, it was rare and it was vicious. "Your not sorry, you never are. I'm starting to wonder if you even want this anymore."

"Your being ridiculous." She started walking again. He just strolled along in silence as unearned guilt piled onto her shoulders. He shouldn't be able to make her feel this way, but he did. Right this second, she wasn't really sure why she loved him, she just did. "Look, I really am sorry. I just have some stuff on my mind."

He seemed content with that, but she could see it wasn't satisfying. Maybe if she'd brought up something to do with him, then he'd be more interested. Selfcentered and self absorbed, it was always about him. But as long as he loved her, it would be perfectly alright. "Anything you want to talk about?"

She could say no, there was always that option. But she knew he'd be suspicious, she told him everything. And she couldn't tell him the truth. He would either think she's crazy or he would get hurt. So she'd lie to him this time, as close to the truth as possible.

"I got a call last saturday, after I went home, from an old friend. I haven't seen him in years. He was certainly suprised to here that I'm getting married. But I can't help but think about him." She looked down to hide the blush that warmed her cheeks.

His eyes narrowed. "This isn't some breakup speach, is it?"

"No." She laughed, she could see how he could see it like that. Placing her hand back in his, she squeezed it reassuringly. "It's just a jolt, remembering what if felt like when I was young and foolish. He showed me this whole other world, one I'd only dreamed of."

"Were you in love with him?" Gregory frowned slightly, worried about competion. It'd be just like him to be worried about a crush a girl may or may not have had on someone when they were young.

She thought for a second, remembered her heart's reaction everytime she looked at Jareth, everytime he spoke her name. " I don't know, I never knew. I want to say no, but I just don't know. That hardly matters now though, I love you and it's with you that I intend to stay."

They stopped at her door, she turned to look at him. " Your parents are waiting for you." She smiled.

" True." He leaned against the wall and pulled her to him. Oh, yeah, now she remembered why she loved him. He was sweet when he wanted to be, romantic and funny. Everything she'd wanted in a guy when she was a little girl. Something screamed in her head, maybe this wasn't what she wanted now. " But they can wait a little longer."

Kissing her gently, he wrapped his arm around her waist. She tilted her head to deepen the kiss as the door swung open. " Eww..." Toby grimaced. "That's gross."

She straightened, pulled away from Gregory. Glowering at the young boy with his short sandy brown hair and blue eyes. " I'm gonna get you."

He just fisted his little hands at his hips. " Mom wanted me to tell you that you have company, not my fault you chose to play kissy face with your boyfriend."

She'd have gotten mad at him, if he didn't have a point. "Who's here? Grandma Jenny?"

" Nope." He shook his head. " I think he said his name was Jared."

" Jareth." She corrected automaticly, doing her best to hide her shock. " He's here. In the house. Talking to Karen. Oh God."

" Are you alright?" Gregory rested a hand on her shoulder.

" I'm not sure." She broke away from him. Following Toby into the house, she could already hear the sounds of a man's laughter from the kitchen. Karen would be making lunch right about now, and he was in there.

He sat at the counter, slicing apples. Karen was spreading some peanut butter on a slice of bread when she turned to look at Sarah. " Why didn't you tell us you had company coming?"

She shrugged. " I didn't know I had company coming." Karen turned back to making sandwiches and salad, giving them a chance to speak. Sarah leaned against the counter across from Jareth. "Translation: why the hell are you here?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Yes, These two are too short and I'm sorry. But if I put them together, it wouldn't flow right. Thank you for being patient. more will be posted soon._

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Last Chapter...

_She shrugged. " I didn't know I had company coming." Karen turned back to making sandwiches and salad, giving them a chance to speak. Sarah leaned against the counter across from Jareth. "Translation: why the hell are you here?"_

He smiled wickedly. "I'm here to watch you tie the knot." He held out an apple wedge. "Care for some?"

She took it from him, bit into it. "At least it's not a peach."

"Would you have accepted it if it was?" He went back to cutting the last two apples.

"Not a chance." She shook her head and he laughed. "Your going to try to muck this up for me, aren't you."

He glanced up at her, a look in his eyes that turned her stomach into jelly. "Quite definately."

Gregory chose that moment to walk in, causing Sarah to break the gaze. "Oh, Gregory. This is Jareth, the friend I was telling you about. He's come for the wedding."

She tried to look at Jareth as a stranger might, and that was when she noticed. His hair was pulled back into a choppy ponytail, expect for his bangs and a few pieces that may have just fallen out. He wore jeans and a white dress shirt with half of the buttons undone, a pendant hung around his neck. He laughed, stood up and turned in a circle. " Like what you see?"

She tried to be indifferent but she knew it wasn't going to fool him. It was the same in the Underground, he'd seen right through her bravado and pretended he didn't. But she knew. "Normal suits you nicely."

"Would you rather I change back into my other clothes?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, no." She protested abrubtly. "I mean it, normal's good." She felt the rush of heat to her cheeks, looked away quickly.

"So." Gregory piped up for the first time. "Jareth, um, what is it that you do for a living?"

"He's a magician." She spoke before Jareth had a chance to. She didn't know what he would have said, but she didn't want to take that chance.

"Yes." He said through his teeth, taking the insult in stride. Toby bounded into the kitchen as Gregory made a show of looking at his watch.

"Sarah, my parents really are waiting, plans for lunch. I need to be going." He hinted. He was uncomfortable, being around Jareth and Sarah at the same time. It kinda made her sad, could he really have loved who she was before she knew him? Or would he have been one of the many who had avoided her. She wouldn't think about it for now.

Instead, she looked at him with understanding eyes. " I'll be right out." He nodded and walked back out the way he came. Once gone, she turned back to Jareth, who was putting the bowl of apple slices on the table. "It's not going to work."

"Ah." He grabbed her hand, her heart skipped several beats at his touch. "I'm always up for a challange."

Yanking away, she went after Gregory. A couple of minutes later, she came back in, her friendly mask back on. Everyone was already seated exept for her father. Carefully, she looked at the chairs. There were only four, and she really didn't want to drag one out. "Hey, Toby." She swooped down and tickled his sides.

He jumped up, giggling, and she slid comfortably into his seat. He put on his best pout until she pulled him up onto her lap. He just laughed as she pulled over the plate that was meant for her. No peanut butter, just turkey, ranch, and pickles.

Jareth laughed from across from her and she couldn't help but look up at him. She did her best to smile but it concerned her. That this would feel much more right than dinner with Gregory. Putting it out of her mind, she turned her head to look at Toby, who was tugging on her arm. "What?" She tried to look annoyed.

"Why don't you eat the same thing as all of us, Sarah?" He pointed to the sandwich on her plate.

"Because I'm allergic." She explained patiently, for the thousandth time. "If I eat it, I get really sick."

"Oh," Toby frowned a little, then looked at Jareth. "Are you allergic to anything?"

He laughed, looked at Sarah as he spoke. "I used to thing I was allergic to fifteen year old girls." Her face went red as she distracted herself by taking a bite of her sandwich.

This was going to be a long lunch.


	5. Chapter 5

"Your gonna have to sleep in my room, unless you would rather go back home. And we won't mind if you decide to stay there either." Sarah wouldn't hold her breath as she pulled an extra pillow and blanket out of the closet. He wasn't leaving, she'd already tried asking him that, several times.

"Why don't _you_ sleep in there and _I'll_ sleep on the couch." He offered generously.

"Because I'm still not sure if I trust you." She looked at him over her shoulder. "And you can't exactly blame me."

"What'd you think I was going to do? Steal Toby while your all sleeping?" He rolled his eyes. She looked away before he could see anything in her eyes. It had crossed her mine, and she had intended to sleep outside Toby's door all night.

"No." She laughed. "Of course not. No one's made any wishes." Moving past him, she slipped into her room, came out with an armful of stuff.

"Need some help with that?" Jareth tried to take the pile from her, she just stepped to the side and proceeded down the stairs. "What is all that stuff?"

"It doesn't matter." She dumped it all onto the couch, two pictures fell onto the floor in the process. Jareth picked them up before she could blink.

"Who are these?" He had to admit, his curiosity was peaked. Each was a different beautiful girl. Both had brown hair and were young, younger than Sarah. At the bottom of each were two dates. One he could estimate was thier birthdays, the other he couldn't figure out.

"They were a couple of girls Gregory and I used to hang out with. This one's Bethany," She pointed to the girl with the longer frizzy hair and glasses. "And this one's Rachael." She then pointed to the other girl with short choppy hair and emerald green eyes.

"Were?" He picked up on the key word almost instantly, along with the sadness in her eyes and in her voice.

"Yeah." She placed a bag of stuff under the pillow she'd dug out. "I guess they were both kinda depressed, because they both killed themselves. Both on the night before thier wedding. Bethany, well, she put a bag over her head, and Rachael overdosed."

"Do you miss them?" He sat next to her on the couch, resting an arm behind her.

"Not really, I mean, I think about them a lot. But I don't miss them, it's not like when I think of... Well, nevermind, it's still not the same." She took the photo's from him, put them on the ground beside her.

He looked at her for a second, the doubt was as much there with her as it was with him. "Don't you think it's a bit odd, that they would have so much in common."

"No." She played with the edge of her skirt, wondering idly when he was planning to leave her alone. "I don't."

He stood, was halfway to the stairs before turning back to her. "If I ask you something, can you be honest with me?" She nodded. "What were you going to say before? It's not like thinking of what?"

She looked away for a second before finding the courage to speak. "It's not like thinking of the Underground, or of any of my friends there. That's what it's like to really miss someone."

He knew that pain, the pain in her eyes that came from leaving someone behind. "They knew you'd have to grow up, we always knew that."

"That doesn't make any difference." She curled up into the blanket, waiting until she was sure he'd gone upstairs to turn the light off. In the dark, she pulled the bag out from underneath the pillow. Inside were two stuffed animals and a statue. Carefully, she set the statue on end table and curled up with the animals in her arms.

There in the silence, she did what she rarely did anymore. She cried herself to sleep. He waited, in the darkness of the hallway, until it was silent, then slipped into her room with a purpose.

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_two days later..._

She woke to the sun touching her face and Toby jumping on her. " What. Are. You. Doing?" She asked as she covered her eyes. He stopped jumping and slid off of her.

"You need to get up. Stinky face is here." He scrunched up his nose.

She glared at him. "That's not very nice, Toby." She thought for a second. "Alright, tell him I'll be right out, I just need to get dressed."

Scrambling up and collecting her things, she shoved them under the couch. A thought struck her as she stopped dead, she couldn't go into her own room, she couldn't get to her clothes. It probably wouldn't be that big of a deal, but she didn't think she could take that chance.

With hesitation, she looked at her pajama pants. This was just going to do, she thought as she brushed her hair with her fingers. Faking a smile, she stepped outside.

He was waiting, like she had expected, but her outfit gave him a small shock. "That's really what your wearing?"

"No." She laughed once. "I forgot to bring my clothes down with me, and I don't think Jareth's up yet."

"Yeah, about that," He took her hand, in an effort to make her think that she was the focus of his worries. " I think you should come stay with me until the wedding, just as a precaution."

She removed her hand from his, "You can't be serious. I don't have much time with my family left, I need to be here."

"You have to trust me, Sarah." He grabbed for her, she moved out of his reach. "That guy gives me the creeps. Please, just do this for me."

Sarah looked into his eyes, saw the total fear in his eyes. She stepped closer to him, close enough that she had to force herself to look up in order to meet his gaze. " Why do you hate him so?"

"It's like he's not human, he's just wierd. I mean, he does magic tricks for a living, not exactly a profession someone normal would choose. e's..." Sarah stopped him before he could continue.

"He's done nothing to deserve your judgement." She rebuked him. "And so what if he's not normal, good for him! I didn't have one normal friend at that point, and he's the most normal out of all of them." She stiffened, looked away as the screen door opened. Karen was standing there with a small frown. "Now, I think you should leave, and come back when your head's back on straight. Goodbye, Gregory."

"Sarah..." He started to object.

"I'm not mad at you." She lied, stretching up to kiss his cheek. "I just have things to do and people to see. That is, if you expect me to be ready for the chapel in less than three weeks."

"Goodbye." He agreed with a tiny smile, walking back down the porch steps.


	6. Chapter 6

Ok, thank you to my reviewers, your awesome!

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Jareth was sitting on the couch when she walked in, as if he'd been waiting for her. But she knew better, the Goblin King waits for no one. With a small nodd in his direction, she made her way to the stairs as quickly as possible.

It wasn't until she was fully dressed that she felt normal. They were both just tired and and fidgety, she told herself, that was the only reason they were acting so strange. Tomorrow Gregory would be in a better state of mind, and they could talk sense again.

Toby was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, she grabbed her purse. "You ready, little man?"

He held up his back pack in one hand and his lunch box in the other. "Can I stay home today?" He asked with hopeful eyes.

She laughed, patted his shoulder. "Nope, you have to go, just like I have to go speak to the florist." Catchin his attention, she wrinkled her nose. " I don't want to do that either, now go get in the car. I'll tell them we're leaving."

She stepped into the kitchen where the rest of the family and Jareth were finishing up breakfast. Snagging a piece of toast, she leaned down to kiss her father on the cheek. "Morning, Dad."

"Good morning, princess, where are you off to so early?" He offered her a knife, which she took used to butter her toast.

"As if you didn't know." She laughed, taking a bite. "Now, if I don't get going, Toby's going to be late for school, and I'll miss my appointment with the witch of all things floral."

"I take it you don't like her." Jareth smiled at the her. Sarah just shrugged. "Well, would you like some company then? I'd hate for you to suffer alone."

She looked at him as if he'd struck her with a club, then just took another bite out of her toast. "Sure, that'd be just dandy. But I'm leaving now, so if your coming, you better hurry up."

With that, she walked out, didn't turn to look back until she was in the car. And, even though she'd expected it, it still gave her a jolt when she saw him approach. She laughed as he stared at the door, confused as to how it opened.

Opening it from the inside, she waited while he got in. "Put on your seatbelt." She instructed as he looked at her like she was speaking french. Slowly, she made a show of putting hers on.

There was humor in her eyes as she looked back at Toby. He was staring out the window, oblivious to everything around him.

Toby's school was no more than a ten minute drive, and then they were alone. "So," She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, "Why'd you offer to come with me?"

"Is it so suprising?" He gripped onto the edges of his seat, secretly terrified. "Besides, you looked like you could use some company. Do you want to talk about it?"

"It has nothing to do with you." She spoke through her teeth. "It really doesn't."

He risked letting go of his seat, breathed easy when he found that it was safe. "That's where your wrong. I care about you, which means I'm here to listen."

She slanted him a look, " It doesn't work that way." She pulled into a parking space and turned the car off. "Just pull the handle toward you and push on the door."

She left him to work on that while she slipped into the flower shop. The woman was standing there, waiting with a pursed lip. "It's about time."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "I'm six minutes early."

Jareth joined her in seconds as she was led into the back.

An hour later she was finally free, although completely dizzy. She wouldn't let on, but she was certain it wasn't the flowers that made her head spin. It was the proximity to Jareth, everytime he accidentally brushed against her, her pulse scrambled.

She was stony silent as she slipped into the car. Jareth waited for a moment. "Did I do something to make you mad?"

She blinked. " What? No, no, you didn't do anything. Flowers just make me sick." She grimaced.

"Oh." He didn't say anything more until they were out of the car. He looked around, recognizing where they were. But he couldn't believe that she'd brought him to this place on purpose. "The park?"

"I used to come here to think." She nodded, walking toward the river's edge. "To escape, and I guess it just hit me."

"What hit you?" He looked at the bridge, remembering the first time he'd seen her. She'd been so young, so full of imagination.

"I'm moving, leaving everything I've ever known. This place, all my memories, everything I'm used to." She came to a stop, sat comfortably on the grass. She spoke again as he joined her on the ground. "I really don't want to talk about it."

"Alright." He nodded, taking a moment to brush his hand over her hair. She shivered and he wondered if it was because she was afraid of him or if there was another, more pleasant reason. "Then tell me this, why do flowers make you sick?"

She laughed once. "Only in large quantities, the overwhelming smell makes me dizzy."

"Then why get so many?" His hand traveled from her hair to her arm and then down to her hand. "If they make you sick, why have them at all?"

She couldn't understand what was happening, every second he touched her, more of her sanity slipped away. "Because they're what Gregory wants." She whispered. He was closer than he had been, closer than he should be, and she couldn't help but love it. If she wasn't careful, she'd end up doing something she'd later regret.

"That isn't right." He let go of her hand to touch her face, to feel the warmth of it. "You shouldn't give away every freedom for him, he's not worth it."

She knew it was wrong, to wish that she could just close the three inch gap between them and kiss him. And she would resist, barely, because she loved Gregory. "I don't have anything to give him, other than my total surrender." She thought it'd always made sense, until now. Now it sounded off.

Jareth chuckled, "Do you hear yourself? I gave you a similar offer once, and you refused. You couldn't be ruled by anyone, I don't think you can now either. The difference then was I promised you everything. Sarah, he's promised you nothing."

She shook her head slightly, trying to clear her now clouded mind. " I can't change my mind now. Everything's ready, nothing can stop it. It's too late."

"It's never too late." He corrected her as he leaned in to brush his lips against hers. She lifted a hand to his face, leaving sensations he couldn't understand as her fingers trailed down his cheek. When he pulled away, her eyes widdened. She couldn't believe she'd just done that, and she was mortified. Without another word, she scrambled up and ran. But no distance could chase away her conscience, how guilty she felt. Getting more pleasure from one kiss with Jareth than any of the kisses she'd shared with Gregory. God, she was horrible.


	7. Chapter 7

I know these are coming fast. I'm on spring break, yea! And I have mountains of free time on my hands. Thank you to my reviewers, it helps to know that someones interested. Well, here's the next "action" filled chapter.

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She stared at the food in front of her, afraid of what her parents might suspect. Could they sense her discomfort, or was there another reason for their silence. Even Toby seemed unusually quiet.

He hadn't come back yet, and she knew it wasn't that long of a walk. It was so wierd, that after two days, his absence could change everything at her family's table. Exusing herself early, she slipped outside to watch the sun set.

And she had to wonder about the question Jareth had asked her only two days ago. Was she in love with Gregory, and now she was less certain than ever. And it was Jareth's fault.

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_several hours later..._

Sarah looked around the very empty livingroom, anxious. The dark always made her nervous, who knew what could jump out of the shadows. She could venture a guess. Sleep usually chased away the fear of demons, but she was wide awake and jumpy as hell. Something moved behind her, she whirled around and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Toby. "It's two o'clock in the morning, what is it?"

He leapt up onto the couch next to her, securing his arms around her. She didn't have to ask, there was only one thing that could cause his reaction. "You had that dream again, didn't you." He just nodded. "Well, it isn't real, it's only your imagination."

"It was different this time, Sarah." He looked up at her, his eyes filled with innocent childlike fear. "You were there at the end, and you were trying to get to me but I kept crawling away. I tried to stop but I couldn't. And you jumped, then everything disappeared around me."

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath as she relived the memory in her own mind. He'd never gotten as far as the stairs, not in any of his dreams. And she knew one day he'd remember too much, he'd figure it out. He was silent for a moment, the atmosphere changing. "That's not it though, is it?"

"The man who took me, I've always been afraid of him. And you were afraid of him too. Did he try to hurt you, Sarah?" Toby talked like it really happened, she wondered if he didn't already know the truth.

"It was a dream, Toby, that's all." She wrapped an arm around his small body to comfort him. And in the still of the night, she waited for him to fall asleep again. Once she knew she wouldn't wake him with a ton of dynamite, she picked him up and started up the stares.

This wasn't the first time she'd been forced to carry the sleeping child up the stairs, almost always after thier monthly movie night. Carefully maneuvering through the hallway, she slipped into his dark room. She layed him on the bed, watched him for a bit before grabbing the glass of water he'd left on his dresser and stepping back out.

Something moved in the shadows, her hand gripped the glass, shattering it. The pain in her hand was enormous, but she was more annoyed than anything else. She hissed through her teeth as Jareth stepped out. "Don't do that."

"Sorry." He threw up his hands in mock surrender. "I had some business to attend to."

"So use a door at least once, it's not unheard of. And it's infintantly more curtious." She knelt down to pick the fragments up. Jareth reached down and pulled her to her feet, he took her hand in his to examine it.

"This isn't too deep, " He mused, "It should be fairly simple to clean. Come on." He backed her up into the bathroom, despite her protests, and flicked on the light. "If your smart, you'll shut the door. Otherwise the light is going to wake someone up."

She shut it behind her as he opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out some cloth bandages. She would have prefered Band-aids, but it was still bleeding too much. "You were gone all evening."

"Did you miss me?" He smirked. Ha, like she'd give him the satisfaction of knowing that thier kiss was the only thing she'd been able to think about for hours.

"No." She lied, looking at the wound. "I was just curious as to where you went." It was at least half the truth.

He wrapped the bandage around her hand, tied it tightly. "Your not fooling me, Sarah. You can't tell me your unaffected by what happened."

She lifted her head, just barely brave enough to look at him. There was something there, something she wasn't ready to admit existed. "That's exactly what I'm telling you."

He reached up to touch the skin under her eye. "You haven't been sleeping well these last couple of nights, why?"

She thought of how best to explain it. Certainly it wouldn't help her cause to tell him that he haunted her every thought. That she kept herself awake with the worry that maybe, just maybe, she was making the wrong choice in marrying Gregory. "I have a lot on my mind." She settled on the same evasive answer that worked so well on Gregory.

"Your avoiding the question, because you don't like the answer." He put the rest of the gauze back in the cubbord.

She sighed, would have threw her hands up in frustration but he already had the cut one in his own. "What do you want from me, Jareth. You want me to give up my feelings for Gregory? To walk away from him? It's not going to happen, it can't happen."

"What I want," He ran his fingers over the skin where the wound had done the most damage, "Is for you to be happy. That'll always be enough. And your never going to be happy with him."

Her voice was no louder than a whisper, soft and fragile. "You can't know that, I could be happy."

He shook his head, his blonde hair finally fell out of it's band. "He's never going to make you as happy as I could." She started to object, but he pressed his lips against hers, silencing her. Emotions swarmed her, she didn't know how to process it all, but it didn't seem to matter anymore. Melting into him, she returned his kiss with equal force. He still held her hand in his as he moved with her until she was pressed against the wall.

There was something about this, something electric. She felt like she'd die if they broke contact now, like she'd explode. And she'd explode if he kept touching her, it was a no win situation that would end in hurt, no matter which she chose. His lips left hers to travel down her throat. "This is wrong." She managed, "This is beyond wrong."

"Then why does it feel so right?" He kissed her mouth again, delighting in the taste of her. He hadn't been able to get the simple sweetness of her lips out of his mind since she ran from him. But there was so much more that he hadn't realized at that point. She was a thousand different flavors, each as delectable as the last. He feared he might go insane if he stopped now.

"We can't do this." She ducked out of his arms, had the door open before she turned back to address the situation. Her face was flushed, she could feel it. And she knew this wasn't the innocence brides were supposed to be full of. Certainly kissing other people was against every moral code in existance. "I'm sorry, Jareth, but I'm marrying Gregory in a little more than two weeks. Please don't make this any harder for me."


	8. Chapter 8

_So I will probably not post as much in the next few days as I will not be home, but I will try to get as much posted as I can. This hasn't been my best story, mainly because I made the time span too long and that drives me insane. But heres the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it._ **:)**

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_nine very awquard days later..._

It'd become a very normal routine, avoid eye contact, stay out of his way, get out of the house early, come home midafternoon, sleep on floor in Toby's room, repeat. And it was getting tiring. She shouldn't feel uncomfortable in her own home.

So, for once in her life, she was going to do something about it. It'd always been the plan to escape for a week, she'd just been putting it off. And now, with only twelve days left and an offer to stay with her cousins across town, she packed her bags.

Jareth leaned against her bedroom door, watching as she shoved clothes into her two suitcases. "You can't be serious."

Her head shot up, and there was the defiance he'd seen so long ago. "I'm dead serious. It'll be better for the both of us."

He didn't know whether to laugh or throw something, all he knew is that he was losing time and she was ready to walk out of his life again. He'd hardly had a chance to show her what she meant to him, and damn it, he deserved that chance. "You can't honestly expect me to buy that crap."

"Buy it," She closed the bags with finality, "Don't buy it, I don't care either way." He blocked her escape attempt. This was his first shot at facing down an emotional woman, but there was no way he was giving up that easily.

"Your running away." He stated simply, waited for her to realize she wouldn't make it out of the room without causing the scene she'd been trying to avoid. "Your running because you don't want to admit, maybe even to yourself, that your not in love with Gregory."

"You don't know what your talking about." She shifted to the side, he countered.

Because he knew that he'd just make it worse if he kept it up, he tried another approach. " If you go now, your going to ruin your suprise."

She stiffened, her hidden curiosity peaked, but she couldn't tell him that. She also couldn't look into his eyes any longer. It wasn't supposed to be this way, seeing him was not supposed to make her heart thump, to make her feel this much. And she'd known the minute she looked up at him, that she'd fallen hard, and she fell fast. "I don't want anything from you, I never did."

And there it was, the total shut down so that she couldn't see what he was feeling. "Congratulations, Sarah, you hit that one right on the bullseye."

That was the moment she regretted her words, the moment he walked out her door. She knew he didn't have to use doors, he chose to. He chose to because he had more consideration for her family. And she should have known.

She should have known the moment he kissed her, the way she felt perfectly comfortable with him and like she had to prove something with Gregory. It'd been difficult with Gregory, like she was always trying to hold onto something that was slipping away fast. But it had been so easy falling for him, even her own stubbornness couldn't stop him from entering her heart. It would be even harder, watching him go, knowing it was her fault. And even better, she was still marrying Gregory in less that two weeks.

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She walked around like a zombie for the next four days. Gregory had called, and he was certainly happy to hear that Jareth was gone. He said he didn't blame Sarah for thier argument, that he blamed it all on Jareth's arrival. But he was exactly as he'd always been, they talked the way they always talked. And he made her sick.

Every time he kissed her she couldn't help but think about _him_ and how his kisses made her feel so alive, so vital. Just that was enough to make her stomach turn, the mere comparison. But then there was his personality, the thing she'd been the most blind to.

It wasn't her fault that Gregory was everyting she had once deplored. He was boring and egotistical. It was as if the entire world seemed to revolve around him and he liked it that way. She saw how it would be for the rest of her life, to always be lesser and never equal.

But wasn't that what Jareth promised her as well? All he wanted was to rule her, that was what he'd once asked of her. But that wasn't what he was asking now, and she knew it. In fact, the only thing he'd asked was that she would give him the chance. And she couldn't even do that. Loyalty that was still undeserved had kept her from what would make her the happiest, and that seemed fair to her.

After all, she'd been cruel, she'd known exactly what would make Jareth turn from her, and she'd used it in an effort to fight off her own feelings. She'd hurt him to try and save herself. Oh, how she hated herself for that.

Yes, there were ways to bring him back, to give her a chance to beg. But that would hardly be sufficient for either of them. And she be with him now, but her harsh and empty words would always hang between them, making them wonder. No, it was better if she went ahead as planned, even if it meant spending her life married to someone as detestable as Gregory.

Oh, the tables had certainly turned.

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He knew she hadn't meant what she said, but still the blow hurt. And it should, it was an intentional swing at his ego, one that had forced him to escape while only slightly bruised.

She didn't want him, that was fine, he didn't need her. He'd certainly done well enough on his own for the last ten years, and he could continue doing well. After all, he had a kingdom to run, children that would always get wished away, and creatures to control. Where was he supposed to fit Sarah into that?

And that was bullshit. He was brooding and that was unacceptable in his opinion. Damn it, if he didn't like something the way it was, he changed it. Besides, there was still something unsettling about Gregory.

As if on cue, a goblin, Drawde, stepped to the doorway. "Sir?"

"Well, come on in." Jareth rolled his eyes with a sigh. Drawde skidded to his side. "So, what have you got for me?"

"Not good." Drawde shook his head sadly, "You wanted information on a Bethany Yeats and Rachael Ulmer. Not good, very bad deaths. Sources came back with a link besides thier similar deaths, schooling, and appearance, which with just that you'd start to expect..."

"Will you get on with it?" Jareth barked, causing the goblin to flinch. Normally Dwarde's babbling would have been comforting, like white noise, but something in his gut twisted. Something was terribly off.

"They were both engaged to the same man, each after a little over a year of dating." Dwarde looked at the clipboard he was carrying, double checking the name. "A Mr. Bennett, now engaged and due to be married any day to a Miss Williams."

Jareth couldn't move, he couldn't speak as the information sunk in. Sarah didn't know what she was getting into, and he had just walked and left her behind. He only hoped he wasn't too late.

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Quick fun thing, can any of you find the twilight reference?


	9. Chapter 9

Ok, so at the end of last chapter, I asked if you could find the twilight reference. And either none of you got it, or none of you chose to reply. So the answer is....drum roll please.................Drawde (Is Edward spelled backward.) And thank you to my reviewers, your wonderful people. Hope you enjoy this chapter, I certainly did.

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Sarah sat in a chair next to Gregory, taking notes on the seating arrangements for the reception. As he moved people around, she marked the changes and added a few of her own. But she wouldn't share those with him, he'd have objected.

He'd put thier parents at tables the furthest away fron them, and she needed her family close to her. That way she couldn't run, she'd have Toby as an anchor. If he couldn't be in the wedding, then he should at least be there during the reception.

Of course, his nieces would be the flower girls, but there was no place for anybody in her life at the wedding. He'd even tryed to convince her that Sam should walk her down the aisle, and although she loved the dear man, she refused to have any body but her own father.

And that had made Gregory very irritated, something she'd been trying to avoid. She'd paid for it, she never expected him to hit her, but it had come as no suprise. And she just hoped the bruise on her cheek faded within the next seven days.

Gregory moved someone next to another person whom she didn't know and she went back to work, trying to forget her thoughts. The sky was dark, they'd been at this for more than two hours. Her eyes were getting tired. "Can we pick this up tomorrow? Your parents will be worried."

"This needs to be perfect." Gregory shook his head. She rolled her eyes, wondered if going outside right now would anger him. Longing for the cool air, she let her gaze wander to the window. And he was standing there, she knew she was imagining it, she had to be. But he was standing at the window, watching.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking at Gregory. "I'll be right back."

She escaped upstairs, locked herself in the bathroom. All her weight against the door, she wept as she couldn't for days. To top off her grief and shame, she was now going insane, that was just perfect.

But insanity made one thing very clear, she could not, would not marry Gregory. It didn't matter if she never saw Jareth again, all that mattered was that marrying Gregory would be the wrong path. And she couldn't do it.

Somehow she'd always known it, that this would go nowhere. Maybe she'd been blind to it, as Gregory had been a good friend. But she saw it now, there was no way for them to exist peacefully and happily in the same house for the rest of thier lives. And now it was time to do something about it.

He was waiting, probably insulted by the idea of writing down the changes himself. But then she saw the clipboard in his hand, knew he'd seen the changes. she made without talking to him. "What's this?" He threw it in her direction, she ducked as it hit the wall behind her. Thank God her family was at the movies tonight.

"It doesn't matter." She stood back up, looked him in the eyes. "It's not going to happen, Gregory. I've been trying too hard for too long."

He laughed, humorless and cold, the type she recognized as one that could be deadly. "It's your little friend, isn't it. He poisoned you against me. Your gonna run off with him."

"No." She shook her head, stepped back as he started toward her. "I'm not running off with anyone. I love you, but never more than a friend, I'm sorry."

"Your not." He grabbed at her, caught her by the wrist. His grip was tight, she had the brief thought that it might break her hand right off. The menace in his eyes was undeniable, he could and would kill her. "But you will be."

She kicked him in the shin, sending him to the ground. But she knew it wouldn't stop him long. Running up the stairs, she locked herself in her room and dragged an end table until it was blocking the door. Now she could allow herself some panic, now she could scream. From the the window she saw clouds roll in at an alarming rate, in the distance she could hear the thunder. She listened as the thunder neared, until it was overhead. A strike of lightning, and the power went out.

And then it began, the pounding against the door and the curses that Gregory spewed. The lock on the door broke and he began pushing his way into the room. Lightning flashed and there was a scratching at the window.

She didn't have to look, she already knew what made that sound. And she couldn't help but feel relieved to see the owl there, a ray of hope. Her eyes still on the door, she threw open the window, let him in.

She stayed on the ground where she was, next to the window, as she watched him. Human and standing in front of her, he seemed surreal..

Then her hand touched cold metal. She'd almost forgotten about the pocket knife she kept there, one she kept around for various reasons. Opening it, she gripped it tight. It seemed like a lost cause, fighting to keep her sanity, might as well enjoy being insane

Standing, she went to his side, smiled a little as his arm went around her waist. He was dressed in his usual clothes, the ones she really did prefer to his "Normal" clothes. This felt right, and it wasn't an illusion, he was really here.

Gregory used all his weight, one more time, knocking the end table completely out of the way. She forced herself to look at him, even if she shook. "Oh, look." He sneered, his eyes only focused on Jareth. "I come up to have a nice conversation with my future wife and find her snuggled in here with her screw buddy."

"Gregory." She warned, stepped out of Jareth's reach. She didn't want him to stop her, not now. "You can't do this."

"Oh, I can do anything I want now." Gregory reached for her, she didn't flinch away. She needed him close."I own you, do you get that?" He tugged at the ring on her finger. "This says your mine, you'll always be mine."

She waited for a second, secured the knife in her hand. When she was ready, she looked at him with a purpose. And that purpose was to kill. "I am ruled by no one." And she thrusted that knife into his chest, not once or twice but five times.

As he slid to the floor, dead, the knife fell from her hand. She didn't know what she'd done, she'd killed a man with her own hands. And she was empty, she wanted to cry for the man who had almost killed her. And that made her feel worse.

Then it hit her, as she fell to her knees and sobbed. It was his blood on her hands, and until a few days ago she'd believed she was in love with him. It was disillusioning and almost heartbreaking.

Jareth pulled her up, away from the body, and into his arms. Rocking her, he waited until she had cried herself out. "How could you do something so stupid?" He kissed her hair, thanking what ever greater being might exist for leaving Sarah alive. "He could have seen that knife, he could have killed you first."

She just shook her head, refusing to look at him. "I would have deserved it."

"Don't say that, why would you even think that?" He pulled away so that he could see her face, read her expression.

"It doesn't matter." She looked at the body, wiped at the tears in her eyes. "I have to call the police. My family's going to be home soon and they're gonna flip. But we're alright, everyone's fine. Well, almost everyone. I have to call the police."

He laughed. "You just said that."

"I have to call the police." She mumbled to herself, walked around the body and out the door.


	10. Chapter 10

_Sorry it took so long to get this posted. This is a short chapter but it was difficult to write. There will be one more chapter, mostly just a short epilogue to tie things off. Thank you to my reviewers, your opinions are apreciated._

Disclaimer (Ad lib): I do not (place party line here)

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The police had come and gone, her room was closed off. She tried to laugh, but she couldn't bring herself to. She'd explained, as best she could, what had happened. Of course, she'd had to edit the truth, so her family would think Jareth came up the stairs as it was happening. And they knew why she did it, how close she'd been to becoming his next victim. The police had filled in the rest a few hours later, with what they found in his house.

They'd found photo's and a diary. The diary had detailed descriptions of his relationship with the other two girls, and thier murders. Still it hadn't made anything better, no one blamed her, exept her. She'd killed a man. So she couldn't laugh with Toby or Jareth as they played together on the kitchen floor.

Jareth's eyes met her and in that brief moment, she saw only his concern for her. And it killed her, that he still cared. Did it not bother him that she was a cold blooded killer? It wasn't even in the heat of the moment, she knew what she was doing before she plunged that knife into him. That meant everything to her, but it seemed to mean nothing to him. It should mean that he at least never wanted to see her again.

"I know what your thinking." Jareth reaching out to touch her. She flinched away, she could see the hurt in his eyes. "Your in shock, and you blame yourself. You'll see more clearly after some sleep."

"You can't know that." She shook her head. Quickly standing up, she stepped outside. She knew he wouldn't follow, she needed to be alone.

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She hadn't been home for two days and it worried her parents. Jareth assured them that he knew where she was and that she would be alright. But deep inside he couldn't help but doubt. What if he was wrong and she'd hurt herself? He should have gone with her, should have made sure she wouldn't do something stupid.

He flew over the park, his eye scanning the grass below. And he saw her. She was laying on the grass, her eyes hollow and empty from a lack of sleep. As he landed beside her she smiled a little. "I was just thinking about you."

"Good or bad?" He stretched out beside her, the sun warming thier faces.

Her smile faded. "Both, actually." Finally she looked at him. "Isn't it always?"

"You haven't come home for two days, your parents are concerned." He wanted a real smile from her, the one that made everything seem brighter. But she looked on the verge of tears.

"I needed to think." She turned her head away, so that he couldn't see her face. "Why don't you hate me?" She had to know. "I've done everything in my power to hurt you and your still here. Why?"

"Why did you break up with Gregory?" He returned as she sat up, her hair was a mess from laying in the grass so long. And she hadn't changed in two days. Even like that, she toyed with his sanity.

She mumbled something, he didn't hear her. Reaching up, he ran his hand along her back gently. "Your going to have to speak up." He smiled when she slanted him a look.

"Fine." She snapped. "I'm in love with you. I said what you've been waiting to hear. Are you happy now? "

"No." He pulled her back down beside him, the tears she had left in her finally escaping. She curled into him as he held her, his voice no louder than a whisper. "I already told you, I want you to be happy. And your in pain, that could never bring me joy." After several minutes she looked up at him. She was done crying but her eyes were still red and puffy.

"You never answered my question." She pointed out. He laughed, of course she'd remember that. He'd been trying to avoid that. "Why don't you hate me?"

"Because of this," He kissed her tenderly, his fingers caressing her damp cheeks. "This isn't just attraction, this feeling we create when we're together. And it's addicting, I don't ever want to give it up. I don't hate you because I love you, simple as that."

She kissed him, pouring her heart into it. And his heart lept. Words could mean little, but actions, well, that meant everything. "I'm sorry." She sighed. "I didn't mean any of it. I wanted to believe I did, but I didn't. Your everything to me, I just wish I'd figured it out sooner." He pressed his lips against hers, and she knew she was forgiven, she'd already been forgiven. Her hands ran through his long hair, she felt the first signs of happiness shine through and maybe life wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Jareth." She smiled that smile he'd been waiting to see, kissed both of his cheeks. " I wish the Goblin King would make me his, only his, forever."."

"The underground could use a queen, one they know and trust." He grinned, taking her hand in his and pulling her to her feet. "Let's go home."


	11. epilogue

_I'm sorry this took so long, I've been a little busy. But here it is, the epilogue. I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it and I'd like to thank my reviewers one last time. Thank you._

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Karen stared at the large colorfully wrapped package on the counter. She'd only been out for a minute, no one could have come and left in that short time, but there it was. A letter rested on top of the box, with hesitation she opened it.

_My dear family,_

_I know you must be worried sick, but I'm fine, I'm where I belong now. Jareth's with me too. Maybe, someday, I'll come back,I can only hope that I'll be back to see my brother graduate. But it's also possible I'll never see you again. So in case I don't, I want you to know that I'm grateful for everything you've done for me and I love you all. Know that I am home now, a place where I can recover fully from the past couple of days. May you all be well and happy for the rest of your lives._

_Love your daughter,_

_Sarah_

_P.S. These treasures are for Toby, maybe they'll bring him the same happiness they brought me. _

Karen smiled, pressed her hand to her chest. Her heart settled for the first time in days. Sarah was safe and she was happy, or at least she'd be closer to happiness. And she opened the box, in it sat Lancelot, her leather copy of _Labyrinth, _two stuffed animals, a small statue of a dwarf and a crystal. And she just knew, there was something Sarah wasn't telling her, something she didn't know if she'd ever figure out. Or if she wanted to.

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She smiled as the breeze hit her face and she was faced with a familiar orange sky. His arm was around her waist, holding her close to him. "Welcome home." He whispered in her ear, she shivered a little.

"You don't know how good that sounds." She looked down at the lbyrinth, like she had when she first set foot in the Underground. "And we've come full circle."

"Not quite." Jareth let go of her to take her hand, led her down the hill. They stopped within feet of the labyrinth, she looked around. Her eyes were filled with memories of the moment she met Hoggle, how much she was disgusted by him. There was a grunt, "sixty-three." Sarah turned, almost afraid that she was still remembering. Sure enough, they were approaching and hadn't even seen her. Hoggle had gotten help, very big and very small, and he seemed to actually be laughing about something. Was this the same anti-social dwarf she'd found peeing into the pond?

"You changed us, all of us." Jareth answered her unspoken question. He'd enjoyed the curiousity she held, it was a beautiful expression for a woman like her. Full of wonder, he could practically see her working it out in her head.

"Hoggle, Ludo, Didymus!" She let go of his hand, ran to meet her deeply missed friends. They all looked up at thier names, equally welcoming smiles. Hoggle dropped his sprayer. Large furry arms engulfed her as Didymus climbed onto her shoulder. She waited a moment, then pulled away to hug Hoggle. They looked exactly the same, so unique and close to her heart. She couldn't figure out how she'd survived so long without them. "I missed you guys so much!"

"Well, your home now." Hoggle patted her shoulder awquardly. He'd never been completely comfortable with her enthusiasm, but he hadn't gotten much time to adjust to it. This time he would. She could feel Ludo beside her and she looked up at his grin, the way his pointed teeth stuck out. Just that made her want to crack up in laughter. Jareth had reached them now, a small smile as he watched her.

She gripped his hand, laughed as he pulled her up to kiss her sweetly. "Yes." She smiled as she leaned in to pour herself into another kiss, "I _am_ home now."


End file.
